What He Wanted
by rhead-a-holyc
Summary: Maxon realizes what he is looking for in his future wife. Oneshot.


**The One Challenge [There is a different kind of beauty that comes with humility and honesty. —America Singer]**

**The Battleship Challenge [disarming]**

**What He Wanted**

A strange feeling had overcome him when he saw the thirty-five girls led into the palace.

One of them, one of those girls, was going to be the future Queen of Illea. One of them was going to be his wife. He would be spending the rest of his life with one of those girls who were currently strangers.

He knew nothing of them other than their names and a vague placing of their faces. He had refused to read their reports, wanting to learn about each of those unique women by himself. The reports would have been filled with hints about which girl would be most advantageous to be married to.

He didn't want that.

He didn't really want to be in a loveless relationship just to better Illea, no matter how selfish that sounded. For once he wanted his happiness to come first. He would have that in his marriage if nothing else. He knew he would probably have to fight against his father, but he also hoped he managed to find someone worth fighting his father for. His mother would be happy as long as he was happy.

He turned back to the window as he saw another car pull into the grounds. Four girls stepped out this time. The first girl was tall and blonde, carrying herself with poise and grace. His father would probably approve of someone like her but the very sight of her made him wince despite promising to be fair to every girl. The next three girls seemed rather friendly with each other. He smiled at that. He did not want people to dislike each other over him.

That wasn't the point of the competition. The point was for the future queen to make contacts among the women she had to fight against. They were meant to make bonds of friendship, but naturally that never happened.

He sighed and turned away from the window as the car he knew was the last to arrive passed through the gates.

The Selection had begun, and he would have to play by the rules his father had laid for him.

He stayed in his room for the rest of the day, knowing that he was not to have any interaction with the girls until they saw him the following morning for breakfast. He would have to play the disarming prince and future king of Illea. He winced at the thought of having to put up even a little bit of an act. He preferred honesty, but that was almost a luxury.

He had to be strong and in control. He had to be kind and charming. He had to be everything and nothing.

Once he was sure most of the girls would be in their rooms, he ventured out of his chambers. He certainly had not expected to see the red-haired girl he vaguely remembered leaving one of the cars, a five if he wasn't mistaken, struggling against the guards to go into the gardens. She looked desperate and her expression led him to believe she was about to pass out.

"Let her go! Open the doors!"

"But- Your Majesty-"

"Open the doors and let her go. Now!" He made sure his voice was firm and full of authority.

The guards reluctantly opened the doors. The red-haired girl slipped out quickly, desperately.

She seemed to release all the tension within her body as she stepped into the gardens before falling onto her knees on the grass. He could hear her panting slightly as she attempted to regain her lost breath.

In that moment, she looked incredibly vulnerable, but also beautiful. There was no mask on her face and she wasn't hiding anything like he had heard the girls of the Selection usually did. His mother had told him that most of the girls selected would never step out into the garden without being fully prepared to not come into contact with too much dirt.

The girl in front of him was different. She was outside in the night, feet bare and wearing what he supposed was probably her night clothing. She looked so free, so content, just sitting there feeling the light breeze on her face.

He realized at that moment that that was exactly what he wanted. He wanted someone that did not hold back their true selves when they were with him.

Like the girl before him. He wondered if she would have acted in the same manner had she realized he was the Prince.

He hoped so.


End file.
